Traction-engine



(No Model.)

W. E. RICHARDSON. TRACTION ENGINE Patented Aug. 9, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILBER E. RICHARDSON, OF MILWVAUKEE, \VISOONSIN.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,626, dated August9, 1892.

Application filed December 12, 1891. Serial No. 414,826. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILBER E. RICHARD- SON, a citizen'of the UnitedStates, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTraction-Engines, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and usefulimprovements intraction-engines; and it has for its objects, among others, to provide asimple and cheap improved mechanism applicable to the various styles ofconveyances, such as drays, trucks, wagons, sleighs, railcars, and thelike. I arrange the tractionwheels,which are of novel construction, sothat they will tend to lift theload as they propel the truck forward. Ipivot the feet so that they will automatically adjust themselves to theroad-bed over which the wagon is traveling. I improve generally uponthis class of devices.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear,and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by theappended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and. in which Figure 1 is a top plan, With parts brokenaway, showing my improved vehicle. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with partsin section and portions broken away.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in both views where theyoccur.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates thefront axle A, the front wheels; B, the rear axle; B, the rear wheels,and O the platform or bed of the wagon, all of which may be of anywell-known or approved form of construction.

D is an engine of known construction suit ably mounted at the front endof the platform and arranged within the box or housing D, and E is aworm-shaft driven by suitable connections from the engine.

F is a shaft suitably journaled in bearings and arranged transversely ofthe platform, and upon this shaft is the worm-gear F ,which works in theworm E, as seen in Fig. 2, the

worm and worm-gear being located within a suitable box or housing, asseen in both views. On the shaft F is a sprocket-wheel F.

G are brackets secured to the rear of the engine-housing, as seen inboth views, and G are arms hinged in any suitable manner to thesebrackets, so as to turn freely on their hinges or pivots, and looselyheld in these arms at their lower ends is the crossshaft H, which ateach end carries the traction or propeller wheel I, which consists of arimless wheel with radial spokes I, to the outer ends of which arehinged or pivotally connected, as at t', the shoes or feet I the actingfaces of which are flat and are prefer ably provided with spurs 2", asseen best in Fig. 2. The arms G extend at an angle, as seen in Fig. 2,and on the shaft H is the large sprocket-wheel H around which and aroundthe sprocket-wheel F passes the sprocketchain J, by which motion isimparted to the shaft H from the shaft F, as will be readily understood.The arms G are each independent of the other, so that either wheelmayau-. tomatically adjust itself to any unevenness in the ground overwhich it travels.

The engine, as well as the wheels I, may be reversed in any suitablemanner, as by alink motion of known construction operated by the lever12.

The boiler may be fed with an oil-atomizer, as seen at b, or otherwise,the amount of steam being seen by the gage c and the water by the gaged.

The Wagon is designed to be steered by the hand-wheel K or otherequivalent means, the shaft of which is provided with a sprocketwheelis, around which passes the sprocketchain K ,which also passes aroundthe sprocket-wheels and connected with some means on the tongue K sothat turning the handwheel in one direction or the other steers thevehicle in the desired direction. The hand wheel is made detachable, sothat it may be changed from one side to the other, as maybe desired. Thedrivers seatL is arranged with relation to the hand-wheel and the leverand other parts to be manipulated so that all may be readily operatedwithout leaving the seat, whereby the operator has the device undercomplete control.

The propelling mechanism is so connected to the wagon and to thepropeller-wheels as to tend to lift the load, as well as force it aheadwhen'the power is applied. By lifting the load the traction is lightenedon the supporting-wheels, and the driving-wheelsare caused to take abetter hold on the road-bed, which will tend to keep them from slipping.

Modifications in detail may be resorted to means for imparting motionthereto, as set forth.

3. The combination, with the motive power, of a worm-shaft operatedtherefrom, aworlngear engaging the worm-shaft, the independentl-ypivoted inclined arms, the tractionwheels carried by a shaft journaledin bearings in said arms, and mechanism interme- T diate the worm-gearand shaft of said Wheels for imparting motion thereto, as set forth.

4. The combination, with the engine, of the worm shaft operatedtherefrom, the Wormgear meshing with the worm-shaft, the pivoted armscarrying the traction-wheels, the sprocket-wheel on the shaft of theWheels, the sprocket-wheel on the shaft of the worm'gear, and theconnecting-chain, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILBER E. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

H. MCLAUGHLIN, J. S. I'IATHAWAY.

